Thursday, September 04, 2014

After 32 years at KTRK abc13, and 40 years in the business, assistant news director Don Kobos is retiring from the Disney/ABC Television Group station multiple sources have told me.

Houston TV viewers will recognize Kobos as a reporter at the Houston station since 1982. Kobos arrived at KTRK as an investigative reporter and ended up covering everything from politics, education to general assignments.

In 2000, after covering the George W. Bush inauguration, Kobos became assistant news director.

Before Houston, Kobos was a reporter at WRAL in Raleigh. He graduated from Wake Forest where he played football.

Interesting stuff about Kobos, I remember him having business cards with a cartoon image of himself drawn by Bill Hinds of Tank McNamara fame. He had a sandwich named after him at Kahn's Deli in the Rice Village which I blogged about in 2006.

Kobos also used to call Rice University football games on the radio, he had a column in the Houston Community Newspapers and wrote a study skills booklet for junior high students.

I am really glad for Don that he got out of there, I mean retirement. He deserves it after a long career. Since Don was a former veteran investigative and city hall reporter he was always supportive of the now deceased 13 Undercover unit, and he always fought to focus Eyewitness News on fighting crime and corruption rather than exposing the latest cosmetic secrets. It was a good run DK.

Don Kobos will be missed by all at 13. He was the voice of reason and a sounding board for all. He stands for true journalism, not the latest boxer turned beauty queen or the hottest latin bachelor. The station is coming apart at the seams. Everyone inside sees the new "leadership" as a joke.

Don Kobos is one of the people I respect the most in this business. In this day and age it's quite an accomplishment to stay in one place for that long, but KTRK has been lucky to have him. Congrats to a class act, a really solid journalist, and a long-time friend! Enjoy your retirement!

I love the bitter comments coming out from a fired employee and someone who is probably past their prime. Don K is a great guy and we all wish him well. A little change at a station that has been stuck in the 70's is not necessarily a bad thing. KTRK will remain the number 1 station in Houston for a longtime.